A server receives a query identifying one or more attributes of an entity. The server accesses a set of candidate templates for answering the query based on the one or more attributes of the entity, each candidate template having one or more fields, wherein each field is associated with at least one constraint. The server obtains a set of information that answers the query and selects a template from the set of candidate templates, where the selected template has a maximum number of fields with constraints that are satisfied by the set of information. The server then generates a phrase by adding the set of information to the one or more fields of the selected template, such that the phrase comprises an answer to the query. Finally, the server communicates the phrase to a client device.